Update – BPD and He

So, it’s been rough. And it’s been better recently. Hubby is learning to read his own reactions (many times). He is learning to wait before reacting. He is learning to look back and think if he could have responded better. Yeah! It’s true. 

He didn’t go for therapy and we never had a direct conversation about what can use improvement (on his part, of course!). He is slowly, ever so slowly returning to some kind of peaceful place that I never knew existed inside of him. 

The other day we were rushing to prepare for guests who were due to arrive in a few hours. I asked my husband if he can do a task that he usually does not mind doing. I fully expected him to say Sure! and dutifully oblige. He mostly acts out of duty, not feeling. Yet, this time he responded that he really is feeling lazy and would rather do it later. For me this was a tremendous breakthrough. He has always seemed like a robot to me when performing acts of kindness or even obligations. Here, he was showing a human side. How refreshing!

I am still really lonely and haven’t found in me a fountain of love for him. However, I know that there is enough magic behind me to warrant magic ahead of me. And I love magic.

(And mentalism.)

Poem borne of Pain

master of the world

hold my hand and help me breathe

become the master and father I need

pray for me when I can’t pray

stand for me when my feet sway

grant me strength and give me heart

do not leave me when I fall apart

dance for me and the future me

let me know that I will be

okay

Half a Husband?

I had a conversation with a woman I was interviewing to see if, as a therapist, she’d be a good match for my daughter. We discussed my husband’s BPD and I mentioned that my daughter has half a father, for all practical purposes. She then asked me if that means that I have half a husband.

This question caught me off guard. If someone would have asked me this a year ago, I would have said that I have no husband. But suddenly, I couldn’t decide how to respond. I just chuckled. When I thought about it later, I decided that I had 3/4 of a husband. I don’t have him emotionally or romantically but physically and financially he is there. Hmmm. So maybe that is half a husband. One can argue that the physical and financial part of him being there adds to the emotional stability. Arghhh.

One can also argue that not having a spouse being there for you emotionally or romantically is so demeaning and painful that it negates the other areas where he does have presence.

I believe that it all depends on the lenses with which I choose to view my world. If I am to stay married, and keep up whatever work I want to do here – it does me no good to focus on the negative and harp on what is missing. I know my husband is not doing anything with ill intentions. He is handicapped.

I am working on being less satisfied and OK with him not being available for me emotionally or romantically. I have been talking about it in therapy. Expressing my feelings and opinions there is very difficult but it sure is a cinch compared to expressing my true feelings to my husband who is a borderline personality.

I often think to myself that it is obvious that the purpose of this marriage and our time together is not for romance. It is for growth and lessons learned. I hate that sometimes. I am changing for the better because of him and I believe that he is changing for the better because of me .. although I can’t say for sure.

Time has this way of passing very slowly for me. I wish I was above and beyond time and space so I can get a measure of comfort. Sometimes I am given little hints of love that prove to me that I am not living this life alone. There is some-One out there who is looking after me.

 

Vitamin Surprise

I see a marked difference since I filled the pill boxes with vitamins and he started on them. It’s 11 days and he is nicer- the overall bitterness and nastiness is now gone. He is still a kvetch but nothing close to the sharp-around-the-edges porcupine he had been 2-3 weeks prior. 

My husband has high blood pressure and at one point wanted to try vitamins. I had a kinesiologist test for him exactly what he needed. He took the vitamins for a few days before quitting and I still have a 3 month supply. Those vitamins are excellent for the nervous system. 

This is the first time he took supplements directly related to stress on a steady basis. It’s 7 vitamins 2x a day. I am very grateful that it’s gotten this far and that I have seen a difference in him. 

There are just some things you can’t control. (Hint: second to -1)

Marriage, BPD and Me

My man is in Oz again. He hasn’t been decent for a couple of weeks now. I don’t know how to handle it. I am sad. I think the trigger is money now but before it was his bi-polar brother. He is again at it with accusing me of control – and it’s only a matter of time before he will throw the money bomb at me.

My son called him out on a flaw of his on Friday night. That set off a steam (and a stream) of insults and blaming. What my husband did was wrong and he does it all the time – space out in middle of me talking, interrupt me before I get the words out, walk off on me in middle of me talking and this time it was that he responded to me after I called his name but instead of waiting to hear what I had to say, he just started talking about an unrelated topic – as if I did not say a word and was not about to talk.

He does that. I know it’s part of his BPD. I choose to put my foot down about other flaws of his. But my son was disturbed about the way my husband disregarded me and he spoke up. All he said was “You realize Ma just called your name and you said Yes and then you went on to talk about something else.”

Last night in bed he started his rant about how he will look for a new life, and a way to get free from me and his wife and family will respect him. Instead of just being quiet or asking him not to speak that way, I told him that if he starts again he will have the same problems with someone else. He is not going for help or facing his problems and emotions. “I have been in therapy for almost three years, I said. What about you?!”

He didn’t reply.

I had another victory with this conversation as compared to previous ones where he used to bash me. I didn’t take it. I said to him that his language is despicable. I have a lot to say but I don’t think it’s nice. We can talk, we can discuss things but pointing fingers is not the way to do it. I told him I believe we have potential for our relationship and if he would like we can discuss it with a professional.

He fell asleep promptly after that. This morning, he’s talking about $100 cash he has for me. He’s a bitter, sad person. Something is up with him. I think I will fill up pill boxes with Vitamin B and C and Calcium… stuff to calm his nervous system.

 

Silent Treatment

He hasn’t said more than two words to me since Tuesday night. Hubby, that is. And it’s Thursday night.

He is deep in his sickness- BPD.

He hasn’t given me the silent treatment for a long time and I truly was surprised to face this once again. I know he truly never healed, just his harsh symptoms subsided. Still. I thought this was behind us. I didn’t expect his bitterness and disrespect to ruin the holiday. 

It’s holiday time and my husband’s bi-polar brother came for a few days. BIG trigger. Still. I expected better. 

Well, well. My therapist explained to me that feeling that my husband is dead wrong for how he behaves is similar to thinking a person with fever is wrong for having high temperature. Sick is sick and so he is.  

A bit of perspective always helps.

My New Boss Has BPD

Do I have BPD on my brain? 

I already do the eggshell dance with my new boss. I try to pretend he doesn’t have BPD, but I also try to avoid him. I do not quake in fear (right. who am I fooling?) and I do not hesitate to say my truth when it needs to be heard.  

I know the following about him:
a- he is ultra sensitive 

b- he hates imperfection 

c- he preaches many things he has trouble actually practicing 

d- his employees take his word as a command (or else!)

e- he is exceptionally smart and generous 

f- he always is checking to see how others receive him

g- he is very quick to anger 

h- he thinks he is humble while everyone who knows him thinks that he is full of himself 

I can go on and on. 

The way I handle it is by not engaging in drama. I try hard not to want and need his approval. I endeavor to give of myself to the company and offer a pleasant encounter with whoever I interact. I know my value and I appreciate the paycheck. 

So help me.